Product Traceability

The foundation of traceability is the automatic identification of products, batches, or load units.

RFID technology enables the reading of multiple tags without direct line-of-sight and automatically records the movement of pallets, containers, or goods as they pass through a control point (Brave RFID gate). This allows inbound and outbound shipments to be verified in seconds and automates inventory counts in loading bays or warehouses.

Barcode systems capture data at various points across the process using industrial printers, fixed industrial scanners, or mobile computers. This technology remains standard in production environments or workflows where manual and sometimes repetitive unit identification is required.

For traceability to deliver operational value, captured data must integrate seamlessly with your core business management systems.

Through Tecnipesa Connect, information generated by RFID gates, RFID readers, or mobile computers is linked directly to your ERP, WMS, or host system. This integration layer manages business rules, standardises data from diverse sources, and ensures records are accurately maintained within corporate platforms.

Once identified, every product or batch can be tracked across all stages of production and logistics operations.

This allows automatic recording of product transformations, dwell times in specific zones, raw material consumption, and mixing or packaging operations. The system can also incorporate quality control checkpoints to validate parameters such as weight, dimensions, or other enterprise-defined criteria. If a deviation is detected, the system can generate automated alerts or quarantine the product to prevent it from moving further down the line.

Data captured during every movement keeps inventory records and product locations fully updated across the warehouse.

Using mobile computers or automated RFID identification systems, companies can conduct faster and more reliable cycle counts, locate stock in real time, and manage locations according to logistics criteria such as turnover, expiry dates, or storage conditions—enforcing rules like FEFO (first expired, first out) when required.

A comprehensive traceability system delivers total supply chain visibility by combining three complementary approaches that eliminate blind spots:

• Internal Traceability (Process Traceability): Tracks the movement and transformation of products and components within the company's own facilities. It is vital for optimising production, identifying bottlenecks, and maintaining quality control at every stage.
• Upward Traceability (Backward / Tracing): Identifies the exact origin of every component and raw material used. It is crucial for supplier management, source quality verification, and, above all, acting quickly and precisely when a defective batch is detected, isolating only the affected items.
• Downward Traceability (Forward / Tracking): Follows a product’s route after it leaves the facility until it reaches the end customer. It is the key to efficient logistics management, delivery optimisation, order status tracking, and executing rapid, precise product recalls.

• Batch Traceability is ideal for mass-produced items with a low unit cost (e.g., fasteners, food products, chemicals), where units sharing identical production characteristics are grouped together. It is an efficient and cost-effective solution.
• Unit-Level Traceability is essential for high-value items, serialized goods, or products requiring individual tracking due to regulatory mandates or warranties (e.g., machinery, automotive components, pharmaceuticals).